JoAnne Funch — April 10, 2018 — April 10, 2018
10 Most Overused Buzz Words in LinkedIn Profiles
Every year LinkedIn publishes the 10 most overused words used in profiles. I find that when your LinkedIn profile is dominated with overused, meaningless words, we are not differentiating ourselves or our brand which means we are not standing out in a field of competitors.
1. Specialized
2. Leadership
3. Passionate
4. Strategic
5. Experienced
6. Focused
7. Expert
8. Certified
9. Creative
10. Excellent
LinkedIn reports, “having conducted this analysis for the last six years, it’s interesting to see how buzzwords have evolved over time. Top of the list, and new to the top 10 this year, is the term “Specialized,” knocking “Leadership” out of the top slot from 2016 and falling to second.
“Passionate” moves up one place to become the third most overused buzzword worldwide. “Strategic” and “Experienced” complete the top five; the latter a new entry to the top 10.”
I suggest you think about these words in the context of how. If you describe yourself as strategic, experienced or creative – go deeper and describe how and use examples that will set-you apart. This is the mistake many people make in describing their personal brand.
MANAGING YOUR ONLINE REPUTATION
As a professional you should be concerned about how you are showing up online and managing your professional reputation. Your LinkedIn profile is the ideal online platform to manage and even boost your professional reputation.
How many times in a conversation have you heard someone say, “Oh, I’ll check them out on LinkedIn?” or you’ve done it yourself – before or after meeting someone.
WHY UPDATING YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE SHOULD BE A PRIORITY
• Establishes credibility and trust
• Attracts your ideal customers and referral partners
• 93 percent of communication is non-verbal so first impressions matter
• Enhances your personal & professional brand story
• Easier to facilitate the ‘right’ relationships with a completed, dynamic profile
LINKEDIN HEADLINE
You are limited to 120 characters in your LinkedIn headline, so think about how your headline can be the most impactful so someone will want to know more about you. I often see people making the mistake of using their title and the name of their company as their headline or they may throw in one of these overused words. Passionate Leadership Coach as an example isn’t going to help you stand out.
Your headline should include at least one primary key word followed by what you do, results you get or something compelling. Here’s one I find compelling: “Global Brand Experience Marketer Driving Breakthrough Business Results”
LINKEDIN SUMMARY
Directly under your headline you will see two lines from your summary section. This is where you want to expand on your headline and start to tell your professional story and expand on your personal brand along with your achievements. I like to suggest you also include what you’re passionate and good at with the goal to connect with your ideal profile viewer.
The first two lines of your LinkedIn summary are the most important, so the reader will click the ‘See more’
You want to include what you do, and the types of results people get working with you. Further into the summary you can expand on the how and why of words you use to describe yourself. The LinkedIn summary section allows for 2000 characters to really expand your story and I encourage you to use every bit of that space.
You want to be strategic by putting the right keywords and search phrases or terms throughout your profile. Whether you are looking for a job or someone may be searching for what you offer, showing up at the top of the search results happens if you choose your key words properly. I can assure you people are not searching buzz words or industry jargon.
ENHANCE YOUR STORY WITH MEDIA
Now that you have compelling language in your profile you can enhance it with media. Upload a presentation, video and image demonstrating what you do – make it memorable as this will help you show the big picture of your skills and background.
Credibility, trust and authority are more than industry jargon and buzz words. A fully optimized LinkedIn profile attracts the right relationships and is critical to effective reputation management and lead generation.
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